Ferndale native stars in Broadway show 'Motown: The Musical'

Jawan Jackson, second from the right, is a graduate of Ferndale High School and Eastern Michgian University, who will be in “Motown: The Musical,” which opens April 14 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York.

Ferndale High School graduate Jawan Jackson has achieved what for many is only a grand but elusive dream.

Jackson, 25, who graduated Eastern Michigan University in 2011, will show off his acting, dancing and singing skills in the Broadway show, "Motown: The Musical," which opens Sunday, April 14 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York.

The show documents the history of Motown records and its founder, Berry Gordy, and explores the lives of such Motown stars as Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and the Temptations.

Jackson plays the character of Melvin Franklin, the legendary bass singer for the Temptations.†

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Under Gordy's tutelage, Franklin's voice -- as well as the group's choreographed steps, distinct harmonies and flashy suits -- made the Temptations famous, said Pam Young, director of media relations at EMU.

"I found the call for auditions by chance on a casting website," said Jackson, who was teaching high school acting classes in Ypsilanti at the time.

"I just thought I'd audition for a chorus member, not for a featured role," Jackson said, who had two auditions before he was called to audition before the musical's director at the original Motown recording studio in Detroit's New Center area.

"It was mind-blowing," Jackson said. "The producers were having a hard time finding a strong bass singer." He had also practiced dancing by watching the Temptations in a video.

It also helped that his cousin Yvonne Bowie, who knew Franklin from their days at Detroit's Northwestern High School, critiqued his dancing.

Jackson was offered the role as Franklin in December 2012; he moved to Harlem Jan. 7 and on Jan. 14 started rehearsals, which run six days a week for at least eight hours a day.†

"I'll never forget the day I met Berry Gordy at the commercial and television shoot a couple of days before rehearsal," said Jackson. "He said I sounded like Melvin Franklin when he heard me sing and perform. He told me that Franklin was very likable and that I needed to have fun with the role."

Jackson had no plans to become an actor. At EMU, he first majored in biology, but realized he didn't love it.

It was after Jackson took an EMU improvisation class with Jessica "Decky" Alexander, an EMU professor in communications, media and theatre arts, who became a mentor, that he decided acting was his future.